1. Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure is related to a tool or apparatus for teaching and training those who play golf, baseball, tennis, football, lacrosse, and the like, proper swinging motions and proper throwing motions by indicating that the athlete or user has used proper form and technique. More particularly, the present disclosure pertains to a wearable device that indicates to a user that the user has properly pushed off with their rear foot during a swing or throw, and properly rotated through the swing or throw until the rear foot reaches a proper finishing position. This corresponds to proper swinging or throwing motions involving the user's entire body.
2. Description of Related Art
One common motion is critical to a correct swing or throwing motion across multiple sporting disciplines such as golf, tennis, football, baseball, and lacrosse. Beginning and amateur users rarely execute this action properly.
Currently, users in golf, tennis, lacrosse, football, and baseball rely on professional lessons, specialized facilities, video analysis, and various swing devices in an attempt to learn the proper motions in these respective sports.
Most of these swinging devices are specific to one sport and focus on individual components of the swing. Those devices that address the entire swing or throwing motion in a specific sport do so at points in the motion's sequence that won't always ensure the proper execution. Also, to be most effective, these tools often require that a user's swing already has a sufficient foundation to benefit from minor adjustments and refinement.
Certain devices measure hip rotation. The disadvantages of such devices are that a user will attempt to control the swing by rotating his or her hips. However, controlling the motion with the hips may introduce other swing errors and won't necessarily produce a correct swing motion since the hips should follow and be pulled in a swing sequence that starts by pushing off with the back foot.
Certain devices are wrist worn. Such a device indicates to a user how to manipulate his hands and hand motions, but this won't always produce the correct swing motion, since the hands are the last body part in the swing and are pulled through as part of the correct downswing motion that starts with the back foot push off.
There is a continuing need for a method or device that doesn't require cumbersome straps. Such devices often require the user to connect with a strap, for example, a front leg to a front arm. Although this does assist a player with weight shift, it may not assist rotation. Further, such strapped devices and may be awkward when performing anything but stationary practice and may not be practical during a competition or dynamic practice session.
Accordingly, it is desirable to have an easily accessible training tool that focuses on the specific action or motion critical to a swing. Further, it is even more desirable to have such a tool that can also be utilized without modification for other sports.